SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15270, 19 July 1920, Page 6

SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK.

WELLINGTON, this day. I Tim ppoedy completion of the South Island Main Trunk railway was urged on Mr Massey and the Minister of Public Works by a large 'deputation representing Marlborough, Canterbury; Wellington and Otago. Mr Penny, chairman of the Railway League, said he felt tlio line should receive early attention. Promise after promise had been made, • but the line was still unfinished. Mr Andrews (Kaikoura) recalled the fact that Mr Massey, when m Opposition, was a member of one of many deputations which had urged that the Hne should be completed. Mr Mitchell (Wellington South) regretted the fact shown m. the monthly abstract that two-thirds of the men on Public Works were employed m the Auckland district. The line was a national railway, and must be pushed ahead for ' the good of the country as a whole, Tne Premier, m reply, said that ho was exactly of the same opinion regarding the line as he -was before the war. One of the effects of. the war was the scarcity of labor. Before the war the Public Works Department had m its employ about 8000 men. Now it had about 4000. It, was quite true that a certain amount of work was going on along the East Coast and North of Auckland, but he reminded the deputation that the South Island had probably 500 miles more rail-

way than the North Island. As to the lino under discussion, it was a main line, and ought to be constructed at the first opportunity, though it was (going to be ;very difficult to put throujgh m many places. However, justice would be done. — Press Assn.